Northhampton News

Gov. Tom Wolf announced that two Lancaster County farms run by beginning farmers will be receiving $1.15 million in tax-exempt, low-interest loans that will be used to purchase property and equipment to start up their farms through the Next Generation Farm Loans Program.

According to an April 4 release, John L. and Sadie K. King of East Drumore Township received $575,000 to buy a 12-acre farm and its buildings. Before this, they had been running produce on a small farm and selling at farm markets for seven years. Ashton and Lorielle Weaver of Fulton Township receive $558,000 to buy a paltry crop farm that was owned by Ashton’s partners. They have operated a poultry house on the property for a year.

“This program is a sound investment in feeding our future,” Gov. Wolf said. “Putting our commonwealth on sound fiscal footing and lowering the barriers that keep young people from entering the field are two of the ways Pennsylvania is supporting the young people who will feed us and feed our economy tomorrow.”

In March, $2.8 million in Next Generation Farm Loans were awarded to five young farming couples that purchased property to start their farm. These were farmers often already running the land or major aspects of the farm. This year more than $15 million allocated was allocated for the program.  

“Pennsylvania leads the U.S. in young producers and Lancaster County alone is number one nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “We lead for a reason. And a big part of that reason is the investments we have made in the past seven years in improving access to capital and planning resources, along with grant funding and support to lower regulatory burdens, bridge opportunity gaps and finance growth.”

The Next Generation Farm Loans allows the borrower to be charged at a lower interest, and is exempt from state, county and federal taxes. Loans are approved through the PA Department of Agriculture with the PA Department of Community and Economic Development and others in local industrial development.

Agriculture is a major part of the state’s economy, amounting to $132.5 billion and producing 593,000 jobs. There has been more than $50 million invested since 2019 with the PA Farm Bill, which is the first and only of its kind in the country. Gov. Wolf included $13.6 million for PA Farm bill loans, programs and incentives in his proposed budget for 2022-23. It also funds the AG Business Development Center.

Guidelines and information, as well as a list of Industrial Development Authority contacts, can be found at dced.pa.gov. Farmers can apply for the program through their county’s Industrial Development Authority.